IDA Taking a Community Approach to Development i | TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T This publication is a product of the World Bank’s Operations Policy and Country Services Vice Presidency, in collaboration with the Community Driven Development Global Solutions Group in the Social, Urban, Rural & Resilience Global Practice. 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 WorldBank.org/IDA Facebook.com/IDA.wbg Twitter.com/WBG_Fin4Dev YouTube.com/WorldBank October 2016 Photos: Cover: Simone D. McCourtie/World Bank – Community discussion of water supply and sanitation in Kaski, Nepal. p. 5: Simone D. McCourtie/World Bank – Water tap in Kaski, Nepal. p. 6: World Bank – Schoolchildren in Nigeria. p. 6: Dominic Chavez/World Bank – Beneficiaries of the PRODEPUR-Habitat programme in Haiti. p. 7: Gennadiy Ratushenko/World Bank – Pomegranate Farm in Tajikistan. p. 10: Imal Hashemi/Taimani Films/World Bank – National Solidarity Project in Afghanistan. p. 11: Imal Hashemi/Taimani Films/World Bank – National Solidarity Project in Afghanistan. p. 12: Dominic Chavez/World Bank – Delmas 32 neighborhood, where many beneficiaries of the PRODEPUR-Habitat programme live in Haiti. p. 15: Dominic Chavez/World Bank – Schoolchildren in Lao PDR. p. 16: Dominic Sansoni/World Bank – Man collecting drinking water from community well in Sri Lanka. Inside Cover, Dominic Sansoni/World Bank—Boys sitting on community water tank in Sri Lanka. affected states), where human security, social cohesion, political stability, and Globally, about 700 million people Taking a Community are still living in extreme poverty, economic activity can be uncertain and volatile. Approach to of which about 500 million live in IDA countries. Access to basic Development infrastructure and services is a persistent challenge—globally, 1.1 Of the 77 IDA-eligible countries, Poverty is about much more than just billion people live without access to 28 are considered fragile or conflict income levels—it also encompasses electricity, 2.4 billion lack access to affected states (FCS). vulnerability, exclusion, unaccountable sanitation, and 660 million people institutions, powerlessness, and exposure do not have access to clean water. to violence for the poor, among other things. For countries eligible for support from IDA, the World Bank’s fund for the Such countries present the most poorest, broad-based growth, capacity profound challenges to development Weak governance is one of the key in the world today. In both fragile and development, and protection of vulnerable challenges for development in IDA conflict-affected situations, poverty groups are common development countries. The link between poor levels are usually high and welfare objectives. IDA has established a strong governance and persistent poverty outcomes low. The stability and social presence in the social sectors, introducing is difficult to break, as building cohesion necessary for development is new approaches to better deal with and operating successful public frequently lacking. And often there are complex institutional issues such as institutions is a long-term challenge no strong and legitimate institutions deficits in public sector management and for governments. In particular, weak to address poverty and manage institutional development. local government institutions and conflict. Violent conflict is more likely poor governance over development to reemerge in such areas, leading to CHALLENGES resources are key contributors to further impoverishment, undercutting IDA countries have made significant inequitable, or a lack of, access to social cohesion, and further eroding progress in the past decade; however, basic infrastructure and services institutions. The result can be a many of the countries’ growth has been for the poor. The complexity of this vicious cycle of deprivation and accompanied by rising inequality and challenge is compounded by the insecurity which is difficult to dislodge disparities, with lagging regions and volatile conditions found in many IDA or change. disadvantaged groups within countries. countries (particularly fragile or conflict TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T | 1 CDD APPROACH can effectively organize to identify infants, rural access roads, and support community priorities and address local for micro-enterprises. CDD has proven Community-Driven Development (CDD) problems by working in partnership useful in responding to conflict and is an approach to local development with local governments and other fragility, and in post-disaster contexts, that gives control over planning supportive institutions. The World Bank as it has shown to be fast, flexible decisions and investment resources has supported CDD in IDA countries to and effective at re-establishing basic to community groups (including help address a variety of urgent needs, services. In FCS, the approach has local governments). It is a powerful, including water supply and sanitation, also helped rebuild social capital and effective instrument for empowering school and health post construction, trust within communities, and between communities and delivering services nutrition programs for mothers and communities and governments. to otherwise under-served populations. It is unique because it departs from traditional approaches to development that focuses on enabling central ACTIVE IDA-FINANCED CDD PORTFOLIO governments. CDD programs operate The World Bank has a robust IDA-financed CDD portfolio. As of August 2016, on the principles of transparency, there were 100 active projects in 45 IDA countries with a total of approximately participation, local empowerment, US$10.2 billion dedicated to CDD. The South Asia and Africa regions have the demand-responsiveness, greater largest share of the active CDD portfolio (33 projects worth US$5.5 billion and 34 downward accountability, and enhanced projects worth US$2.8 billion, respectively.) India has the largest country portfolio: local capacity. Empowering local 18 projects worth US$3.7 billion. decision-making and putting resources in the direct control of community groups has led to the efficient delivery of basic services and, when sustained Africa over time, measurable reductions in 28% Active CDD Projects East Asia and Pacific poverty, particularly among the poorest by Region Europe and Central Asia populations and communities. 54% Latin America and Caribbean *Share of IDA commitments for CDD 11% Middle East and North Africa Experience has shown that when given clear and transparent rules, access to South Asia information, appropriate capacity, and 2% 3% financial support, poor men and women 2% 2 | TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T 32 active CDD projects worth US$2.2 economic welfare (income and communities. Assessments of several billion support FCS countries and consumption) and access to services. CDD projects across the globe have contexts, with the Africa region having Also, in post-conflict settings, CDD has shown subproject infrastructure the largest share of the operations at proven effective in delivering services investments to be of equal or better 15 projects, totaling US$1.2 billion. quickly and providing targeted support quality than those managed by local The East Asia and Pacific region for short-term jobs. governments or sectoral agencies, and follows, including the national CDD often at lower unit costs. An evaluation project in Myanmar worth US$480 A review of 17 robust impact by the Bank’s Independent Evaluation million. evaluations of World Bank CDD Group (IEG) also finds a significant projects shows an overall positive increase in girls’ school enrollment RESULTS role in improving household living in many FCS countries as a result of standards or welfare in a large majority effectively mainstreaming of gender in Many CDD programs that began of projects that measured results on FCS within the health and education as small stand-alone operations income poverty, more effective poverty portfolios and in CDD projects. have gradually expanded to reach targeting, and increasing access to full national coverage, and have services, particularly in the areas of Illustrative Results from Closed been linked to Governments’ formal health, education, and clean drinking IDA-financed CDD Projects decentralization strategies. These water. A separate review of CDD projects have delivered positive results Between 2010 and 2015 the Bank projects in East Asia demonstrated across a range of measures including completed 90 IDA-financed CDD positive income returns to participating projects. Approximately US$7.6 billion in IDA financing leveraged approximately US$39.7 billion through World Bank operations. The projects 10% Africa covered 51 countries in all six of the Active CDD Projects 11% Bank’s regions. The Africa region had 1% East Asia and Pacific in FCSs by Region the largest share of projects, followed 2% Europe and Central Asia by the South Asia region, and the East *Share of IDA Latin America and Caribbean commitments for CDD 54% Asia and Pacific region. 22% Middle East and North Africa South Asia These projects delivered in total more than 164,000 subprojects and TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T | 3 reached approximately 176 million beneficiaries. Among these subprojects, Africa the top three sectoral areas covered are income generation and job creation; IDA-financed CDD East Asia and Pacific Disbursement by 41% water and sanitation; and education. 45% Europe and Central Asia Region (US $Millions) Latin America and Caribbean For income generation, CDD projects Middle East and North Africa supported the development and *Analysis of 90 rehabilitation of critical economic projects closed South Asia between 2010-2015 7% infrastructure (roads, storage facilities, etc.) and the financing of training, 1% 3% 3% subgrants, and other support for value- chain analysis, small business advice, and the construction of training centers In water and sanitation, CDD projects have built or rehabilitated water supply units and vocational schools, among others. for drinking and daily use, as well as latrines and other sanitation infrastructure for communities. These efforts led to an increase in access to safe drinking water and a reduction in the time households spend collecting water. Public latrines In Benin, 38,000 people (of which 77 percent were women) have Education 1% Heath gained access to micro-finance 8% services thanks to the National CDD 15% Water and sanitation Support Project. When CDD projects Areas covered by CDD sub-projects Transport target poor areas, they have proven 5% Electricity/Power to be an effective poverty reduction *Analysis 29% tool. For example, in communities of 109,755 Community infrastructure 16% subprojects of 90 that participated in the Tajikistan projects closed Agriculture infrastructure Community Agriculture and between 2010–2015 Income generation which have clear Watershed Management Project, descriptions of 10% 13% and job creation the proportion of people above the sector/sub-sector/ Environment conservation and area information poverty level increased from 3% to in Implementation 2% 1% Natural Resource Management 30%. Completion Reports Other 4 | TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T contributed to improvement in hygiene and sanitary conditions for people in poor rural communities. In the Sri Lanka Second Community Development and Livelihood Improvement Project, communities implemented a total of 463 community water supply projects, which led to time saved in collecting water, improved health, higher levels of community sanitation and time freed for other income-generating activities. In Nepal, the Second Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project provided improved access to water supply for more than 1.1 million people in rural areas, who are now able to collect water within a 15-minute round-trip walk from their residence. In education, CDD projects have largely supported the construction and renovation of school facilities Support Project in Tanzania, for subprojects, leading to increased such as classrooms, libraries, and example, demonstrated the projects’ crop yields in client countries. staff quarters, as well as the provision contribution to increased school Reporting on the Community and of school equipment, from pre- enrollment and attendance. Social Development Project in Burundi schools to communal colleges. These showed that vendors used to display efforts have led to an increase in In agriculture, CDD projects helped products on small wooden tables school enrollment and attendance as build agriculture infrastructure such and mats on the ground; but the new well as learning, notably for girls. An as irrigation, markets, community rural market, with a cement floor and impact evaluation of the Community storage, and slaughterhouses, among roof sheeting to protect against the and Social Development Project in others. Communities rehabilitated elements, increased the number of Nigeria and the Local Government their irrigation systems through CDD vendors on market days. TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T | 5 In health, CDD projects contributed of Gambia’s Community-Driven to decreases in malnutrition and Development Project, 109,640 improvements in maternal and households benefitted from the child healthcare. Clinics and health health intervention. It was reported centers including maternity wards that a health facility where people were developed by subprojects, which used to receive care only once a week led to increased use of primary started to see on average, 200 to 250 health facilities. In Bolivia, the share patients per day. This has contributed of women receiving prenatal care to improved access to health care, and the share of attended births especially for pregnant women, increased significantly. As a result mothers and children. In transport, public infrastructure subprojects such as roads, bridges and bus stations have contributed to the enhanced access of beneficiaries to basic socio-economic infrastructure/ services such as markets, schools, and health facilities, thereby reducing travel time and cost. A recent impact evaluation for the Laos CDD project (the Poverty Reduction Fund) demonstrated a reduction in travel 6 | TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T time from the beneficiary communities Contributing Factors to Positive latest national statistical data, or to their nearest neighboring village by Impacts other sources agreed to among key between 25% and 50%, depending on Factors contributing to the success of stakeholders; the season. A study on the impact of CDD projects in reducing poverty and • Establishing a more participatory and community subprojects of the Burundi improving access to services include: inclusive model of service delivery, Community and Social Development allowing communities to identify their Project found that the average distance • Strategically targeting resources to own development needs as well as to access health centers and primary poor areas using poverty maps, the the poorest among them; schools was reduced from 5 to 10 km to less than 5 km. Transport projects have also led to reduced isolation of agricultural production areas and increase in the volume of agricultural products being transported to markets by farmers. While supporting the subprojects to provide access to basic services and infrastructure to the poorest populations, CDD projects aimed to empower communities and strengthen community participation, decision- making, and control of resources. Projects have embedded capacity -development components to enhance the ability of the project facilitation teams and local community groups to manage resources effectively as a community, covering skills such as procurement, contracting, reporting, and business development. TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T | 7 • Providing high-quality and adequate PROJECT CASE STORY I percent in the same period. Primary facilitation and technical assistance; health care coverage expanded by more than eight times from 8 percent • Building the capacity of communities to engage in these participatory Inclusive Rural to 68 percent in 2001–08. Access Community processes and to directly manage to other services also improved development resources; significantly. Access to electricity • Ensuring transparency in community Development in increased by three-fold during 2005– 11; access to drinking water rose from and subproject selection and in accounting for the use of project Afghanistan 27 percent to 46 percent in 2007–11; and travel times between major cities resources at the community level; National Solidarity Program (NSP): such as Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat • Providing block grants of sufficient 2003– have been reduced to a quarter of size over several years that are what it used to take. used for economically productive CHALLENGE purposes; Major security threats, however, pose Afghanistan has made significant formidable challenges to continuing • Building flexibility into project design political, economic and social progress and implementation, to better adapt socio-economic progress. And despite following the fall of the Taliban earlier accomplishments, Afghanistan to lessons and insights that emerge government in 2001. The country as the project matures. remains one of the least developed has held five national elections and countries in the world. Poverty rates The World Bank actively supports the established a much more open and stand at 39.1 percent as of 2013–14, CDD approach as it grows and evolves inclusive society, notably for women. with signs of growing inequality. The worldwide through targeted analytical While volatile, economic growth vast majority of the population— work, technical assistance to flagship averaged 9.4 percent per year during about 70 percent—lives in rural areas, CDD programs around the world, 2003–12, which helped raise GDP where the poverty rate is even higher, quality assurance support through per capita from US$186 in 2002 to literacy rates are lower, and basic information and knowledge exchanges, US$688 in 2012. Key social indicators services are more scarce. Compounding and staff skills development, all of have also improved. Net primary the problems facing Afghanistan’s which can lead to a greater impact school attendance rate increased rural population is that government on poverty, empowerment and an from 37 percent to 57 percent in institutions, as defined by the country’s improvement in basic service delivery 2007–11, while girls’ net attendance constitution, do not yet exist below in client countries. rate increased from 29 percent to 48 the provincial level, making delivery of 8 | TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T the most basic services all the more The NSP aims to build, strengthen subsequent rounds of CDC elections in difficult. and maintain Community over 11,500 of these communities. Development Councils (CDCs) In terms of local amenities and services, as effective institutions for local Cumulatively, over all the NSP there remains an immense need for the governance and socio-economic phases to date, CDCs have received government of Afghanistan to adopt development. The councils have some US$1.6 billion in community and implement a more coordinated and been given the mandate to identify, block grants to finance over 89,600 multi-faceted development approach plan, manage, and monitor their subprojects, of which more than with the support of the international community’s development projects, 79,000 have been completed. donor community. This approach needs thereby building a sense of ownership Subprojects include investments for to include elements of both local and empowerment. transportation (30 percent), water governance enhancement and provision supply and sanitation (25 percent), of much-needed reconstruction and A CDC can be formed with irrigation (26 percent), power (5 rehabilitation. approximately 50 percent female percent), and other small-scale participation in any community infrastructure schemes (14 percent). with a minimum of 20 households. These activities generated over 52 APPROACH million paid labor-days for skilled and Residents elect CDC members through Currently in its third phase since secret ballot. A CDC comprises 12 unskilled workers. its inception in 2003, the National to 30 members who serve for a term Solidarity Program (NSP) is one of determined by NSP’s implementing CDCs, established in 85 percent of the Government of Afghanistan’s agency, the Ministry of Rural villages in Afghanistan, have shown flagship, national priority programs. Rehabilitation and Development to be highly effective in implementing NSP applies a community-driven (MRRD), following which they are development projects by engaging local development approach to tackle local replaced by new members elected communities. “CDCs have members governance challenges and to support through another free and secret ballot from every part of the community basic service delivery. Overall IDA election. so they know best about what their commitments to the three NSP phases communities need,” says Sher Shah stands at US$398 million, while more Shahid, 41, former director of NSP in than US$1.6 billion has been provided RESULTS Balkh Province. “No other structure can through the Bank-administered Since 2003, NSP has successfully be as effective as CDCs in identifying Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust established CDCs in over 35,000 and prioritizing village-level problems. Fund. communities, and supported They know best how to implement TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T | 9 projects so that the impact reaches the The canal has not only revived women in a country that remains near widest number of residents.” the greenery surrounding the the bottom of the human development neighborhood, but it has also brought index with some of the worst social In the small locality of Kod-e Barq in arable land back to life. Fields that had indicators among women and children, Balkh Province, a 963-meter long canal lain uncultivated due to water shortage who constitute more than half the was built alongside the road. Although now grow wheat for Kod-e Barq. population. In most cases, half of CDC there are no big fields here, residents Residents are glad to see their lands membership has been allocated to can grow vegetables in their own little growing crops again, which has had a women, giving them the opportunity yards—thanks to the water from the positive impact on the local economy. to participate in decision-making canal. The NSP provided 3 million at village level and to voice their Afghanis towards the canal’s rebuilding NSP has also played an effective role opinions. “NSP has provided a unique cost, while residents of Tokhta in building capacity and empowering opportunity for women to participate village and Kod-e Barq contributed over 300,000 Afghanis. 938 families are benefiting from the canal, says Homayon Ajam, NSP Provincial Manager in Balkh Province. Mohammad Anwar, 57, a resident of Kod-e Barq, is pleased that the canal has been rebuilt. “Previously, when the canal was still unpaved, most of the water was absorbed into the ground instead of running into the adjoining streams,” says Anwar. “Moreover, it took the water two to three hours to reach the neighborhood. However, now that the canal has been paved, water can reach us as quickly as 20 to 30 minutes. The water brought by this canal has already irrigated all the greenery here.” 1 0 | TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T in the development process from a government-sanctioned platform, allowing women to gather and discuss their development priorities within a formal framework for the first time and have their concerns taken seriously,” said Naseer Ahmad Durrani, of the Government Ministry overseeing NSP . Atif Poya, a CDC member from Daikundi Province, says that women are now given more voice in community matters. “Women did not have the right to participate in discussion or any decision-making process in the past,” she says. “In our meetings, we now have around 40 percent female participation and women’s views are respected in decision-making.” A robust impact evaluation conducted increasing the use of protected water of the economic, institutional, and in 2013 to quantify the results of the sources, and electricity. It showed social improvements brought to women second phase of NSP on access to increased access to education, health through participation in NSP . The services, infrastructure, and utilities; care, and counseling services for evaluation found that CDC elections economic welfare; local governance; women, as well as improved school appeared to have increased villagers’ political attitudes and state-building; attendance and quality of learning satisfaction with local governance and social norms found notable positive for girls. The evaluation also showed services, increased the provision of outcomes important to women. that the program appeared to have these services to women, and increased improved villagers’ perceptions of the proportion of women involved in The evaluation showed that the project their economic well-being. Women local assemblies as well. The evaluation improved access to clean drinking in particular were more likely to concluded that NSP “creates a durable water, both by reducing the time have sustained positive economic channel for female representation that households spent collecting water and perceptions, which is demonstrative persists beyond project completion.” TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T | 1 1 in particular have undermined Haiti’s prevailed among residents. Poor PROJECT CASE STORY 2 political process, fueled conflict, access to safe water and sanitation in impeded economic activity, imposed these slums, as well as a lack of solid Demand-driven costs on residents and businesses, waste collection, threatened residents’ Local Development increased migration abroad, and health and the environment. There negatively affected development and were few public facilities or services in Haiti reconstruction efforts following the 2010 earthquake. and only a nascent presence of state institutions of any kind, including law Urban Community-Driven Development enforcement. Project (PRODEPUR): 2008– Partly due to this crime and violence, living conditions in Cité-Soleil, Bel- APPROACH Air, Martissant, and the other violent, CHALLENGE The CDD approach, which grants impoverished areas in Haiti’s cities Crime and violence pose serious control over planning decisions have ranked among the worst in the challenges to Haiti’s development. Poor and investment resources for local Americas. Amid high unemployment urban neighborhoods in Haiti have been development projects to community and acute poverty, malnutrition both victims and causes of explosive conflicts that combine demographic, socioeconomic, institutional, and political risk factors. Armed gangs in the country’s major disadvantaged urban areas—particularly those of the capital, Port-au-Prince—have used these areas as a base for kidnapping and other criminal activities. The negative activities of these groups extended across the capital and beyond, with damaging loses to human welfare and economic activity, and fueling high rates of violent crime. Violence and insecurity in Port-au- Prince’s disadvantaged urban areas 1 2 | TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T groups, was selected as a means to Reconstruction—that contributed to help mitigate conflict and violence RESULTS community-wide upgrading, including in Haiti and to support stabilization PRODEPUR helped improve the living basic infrastructure and services which in targeted slum areas by quickly conditions of more than 270,000 benefited approximately 24,800 urban providing improved access to basic persons (as of February 2015) by households. services and income generation supporting existing community opportunities to beneficiary initiatives to expand access to water, PRODEPUR also supported small- communities. IDA has committed electricity, and sanitation services. scale infrastructure and productive/ US$53.2 million to the Haiti Urban The program also helped improve income-generating subprojects. Community-Driven Development Project neighborhoods by constructing public Force d’Entraide Nationale pour le (PRODEPUR in French). spaces and rehabilitating roads and Développement (FENAD), a small corridors, thus connecting residents brick-making factory, is one of the PRODEPUR operated in 10 of to health centers, schools, and other completed subprojects funded by 17 “priority zones” identified services in nearby communities. PRODEPUR. When FENAD decided to by the government across five start the business in 2010, it lacked municipalities. The government Under the project, 493 subprojects financial and technical resources. focused interventions in the priority were implemented in targeted areas Identified by PRODEPUR in 2012 as zones to build political stability of Port-au-Prince and three other a promising subproject to support, by restoring basic services and cities. In response to the January 2010 FENAD put up more than ten percent demonstrating visible improvements earthquake, with additional financing, of the equity capital and received for the residents of these particularly the project immediately prioritized US$20,000 in funding. Thanks to volatile neighborhoods, which had subprojects that addressed the disaster technical and administrative training high levels of violence and crime. recovery needs of project communities, from the program, workers and senior Community-based organizations, such as cash-for-work subprojects staff improved both the product and through a participatory process, focused on the removal of debris from the management of the company. proposed, selected, implemented, and public spaces and cleaning of local maintained subprojects that improved drainage ditches. These activities By 2015, FENAD had grown to 40 access to basic and social services. provided temporary jobs to over 5,000 workers from the community, 50 The project also introduced a flexible people in the neighborhoods of Belair, indirect workers, 1,500 bricks sold and participatory demarcation method Cité Soleil, Delmas, and Martissant. daily, and up to 150,000 Haitian to identify intervention areas as official The additional financing funded a gourdes (approximately US$3,200) demarcations barely existed. new component—Housing Repair and in monthly profit. These numbers TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T | 1 3 truly represent a success story for a country’s development discussions. processes, and the financing of basic company that started out with ten Many Lao citizens who escaped poverty social and economic infrastructure with workers and sold at most 150 bricks in the recent past have again fallen an emphasis on ensuring sustainability. daily. Today, in addition to being self- back below the national poverty line sustaining, FENAD has also bought due to economic or climate-related The second phase of the project its own land. “We worked hard; we shocks. Considerable differences (PRF II) began in 2011, and IDA has paid one million gourdes (roughly in poverty rates persist across the committed US$36.6 million to the US$21,000), using the profit we different geographic areas and the project. PRF II assists the Government made,” says Chevelin Nicolas, the country’s 49 different ethnic groups. of Lao PDR in its ongoing efforts to FENAD manager, proudly. reduce poverty by financing community A lack of basic infrastructure makes it infrastructure, building local capacity, harder for poor communities to escape and strengthening the ability of local PROJECT CASE STORY 3 institutions to use participatory poverty. For example, it is difficult for children to get an education if there decision processes in programming Inclusive is no school in the village, or no road to the nearest school. It is also harder and managing development resources. Some 70% of PRF II beneficiaries Community and for villagers to keep their children are ethnic minorities. As with other CDD projects, the PRF II provides healthy if there is no health post Local Development nearby, or safe water supply. Currently, block grants for small-scale tertiary in Lao PDR about 19 percent of Lao citizens are undernourished, and 44 percent of public infrastructure identified by beneficiary villagers themselves, while children below five are stunted. strengthening and improving processes Poverty Reduction Fund II: 2011– that enable community members APPROACH and local government officials to CHALLENGE identify needs and address them in a The Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF) was Despite rapid economic growth in the transparent and accountable manner. established in 2002 to improve access last few decades, poverty remains high to and utilization of basic infrastructure in Lao People’s Democratic Republic and services in the project’s targeted RESULTS (PDR), especially in rural areas and poor communities. This objective As of September 2016, the total number among ethnic minority groups. Issues will be achieved through inclusive of subprojects implemented under the of social inclusion and effective service community and local development PRF II has exceeded 1,900, and benefited delivery feature prominently in the 1 4 | TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T about 650,000 people in the rural areas of Laos, or about 10 percent of the national population. More than 90% of subprojects which are more than four years old are still in good or fair condition, and PRF investments are overall equally or more cost effective as compared to similar investments financed by other sources. A randomized impact evaluation using quantitative and qualitative research methods, and which surveyed around 4,400 households in four project provinces, was conducted to assess the project’s results on access to services, and community perception of participation and governance. The end line survey carried out in 2015 found significant construction; and a more than 9% to a request from the Lao PDR results in treatment villages (as improvement in the perception of PRF Government, to finance the third compared to control villages), which communities having influence in village phase of PRF . It will allow the PRF to include between a 25% and 50% decision-making. Many of these results scale up some of the results from the reduction in the time (depending on were particularly strong for the poorest earlier phases of the project. In the the season) required to access the 40% of households in the project new phase, the majority of project nearest village; an almost 6% increase treatment areas. beneficiaries will be poor ethnic in household access to protected water minority groups who live in remote sources in the dry season; improved In July 2016 an additional US$30 mountainous areas with poor access to perceptions of the quality of school million was committed, in response infrastructure. TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T | 1 5 1 6 | TA K I N G A C O M M U N I T Y A P P R O A C H TO D E V E LO P M E N T